Thursday, October 19, 2023

Congressman Auchincloss: An Update for the past 2 weeks (10/17/23)

LAST 2 WEEKS IN REVIEW

I'm your representative in Congress and I write to keep you informed.

On the Hill

Congressman Auchincloss

Speaker Vacancy: It's been nearly two weeks since Kevin McCarthy was removed as Speaker of the House. At a time when our allies are seeking our help and Americans are watching government funding run down, House Republicans nominated Jim Jordan to fill the spot – a politician so extreme that a former *Republican leader* called him a "legislative terrorist." Jim Jordan helped galvanize the January 6 insurrection and favors a nationwide abortion ban with no exceptions for rape, incest, or life of the mother.

Congressman Jordan was recently scored one of the least bipartisan Members of Congress and has never passed a bill in 16 years of service. By contrast, Democrats have nominated Hakeem Jeffries, who is offering a bipartisan arrangement to govern the House. Congressman Jeffries is only five votes shy of the speakership – far ahead of any Republican's tally, including Congressman Jordan.

War in Israel: Israel is at war. For so many in the Jewish community, this is not just a geo-political earthquake but a deeply personal reality. I've heard from many constituents who have friends and family being called up from the reserves. Some may know one of the victims or hostages. I stand firmly and fully with Israel's right and responsibility to defend itself from terrorist attacks.

This will be a hard war. Israel needs the support of its most important ally, the United States. Our fellow democracy is fighting for freedom. The Jewish people are defending their right to a secure homeland. President Biden has reinforced his rock solid and unwavering partnership; I will continue to support the administration's efforts to provision all military and diplomatic support necessary.

Congress must also act. With even greater urgency, I implore House Republicans to jettison their extremists, enable bipartisan governance, and work with Democrats in passing the policy that Israel expects and deserves from its most trusted ally. In addition to materiél, Israel needs moral support from Americans. Now is not the time for equivocation. Hamas is an internationally recognized terrorist organization that executes civilians, including children. Israel is a liberal democracy protecting its citizens.

Calls for de-escalation, even if well-meaning, are premature. There are hostages who are still being held by terrorists. Israel needs to destroy the capabilities and the structure of a terrorist organization whose mission is to end the Israeli state and kill Jews, and who has abused the Palestinian people for more than a decade instead of advancing efforts towards dignity and statehood. Israel's military imperative is not antithetical to humanitarian considerations. The Israeli Defense Forces can execute an aggressive military operation while having necessary concern for civilians and abiding by the proportionality, distinction, and necessity tenets of the law of armed conflict.

The barbarity of the October 7th attacks must not ever be used as justification for violence or discrimination against Muslims or Palestinian-Americans. I join with other Jewish officials and organizations in rejecting and condemning such actions.

In the hard weeks ahead, I stand with Israel and will work for her safety and success.

Make your voice heard → I want to hear from you.

Do you support President Biden's response to the situation in Israel?

Around the Fourth

Newtonville Village Day

Newtonville Village Day: I carved out some family time on a busy long weekend to take Teddy and Grace to the Newtonville Village Day. The train ride and perfect weather made for big smiles all around (except Grace).

Eversource Visit: Democratic Whip Katherine Clark and I toured Eversource's geothermal installation in Framingham. The project, boosted by the Inflation Reduction Act from last Congress, is pioneering neighborhood-scale geothermal that promises to lower energy bills, decarbonize the grid, and create good jobs for workers transitioning from natural gas.

Wayfair Town Hall: I visited Wayfair's headquarters to speak at a town hall yesterday that was also joined virtually by employees from across the country who served in the military. From economic development in Fall River to the war in Israel, the questions from Wayfair's employees were timely and tough. I appreciated the town hall with hundreds of employees, many of them constituents, from one of the Bay State's leading companies.

Onwards,